Modular furniture systems that can be configured and reconfigured to meet particular user requirements are desirable in many applications and environments such as laboratories, product inspection stations, manufacturing assembly stations, and clean rooms, for example. Typically, such modular furniture systems include a tabletop, or other generally planar work surface, and may be adapted to support shelving, drawers, dividers, tack boards, and various other accessories. In many applications it is also desirable to provide various utility services, such as electric, data, gas, fluid and vacuum services, at or near the work surface to facilitate the performance of various tasks.
Conventional modular furniture systems generally include framework assemblies supporting the work surfaces and various other components of the furniture systems. Some furniture systems can be configured to combine multiple work surfaces adjacent one another, generally by connecting the components of individual workstations. This results in redundant, duplicated components. Conventional furniture systems are also typically difficult to assemble and to reconfigure for specific uses, particularly when it is desired to add or modify various utilities services provided to a work surface.
Accordingly, further improvements to modular furniture systems can be made to improve the functionality of such systems while also improving their aesthetic appearance.